The Lancet: Bangladesh’s rural water scandal
Editorial Board

“Arsenic occurs naturally underground in parts of Bangladesh, and its contamination of rural water supplies first came to public attention more than two decades ago. Since then, the Bangladesh government supported by donor agencies (including UNICEF and the World Bank) have collaborated to mitigate a growing water contamination crisis … A new report by Human Rights Watch released on April 6 highlights how the rural water crisis in Bangladesh is far from being resolved. … The report is an urgent wake-up call for all players in Bangladesh’s rural water supply, and for other governments and donor agencies focused on water and sanitation, where arsenic contamination may be a public health threat. For Bangladesh, the report highlights the need for a renewed and sustained arsenic mitigation campaign. … Until all of Bangladesh’s citizens have access to safe water, their right to health will remain scandalously denied” (4/9).